


United We Stand

by ShadowedTime



Category: Date A Bullet, Date A Live
Genre: Battle, F/F, Ficlet, Fluff, Implied Relationships, Inspirational Speeches, Romantic Gestures, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Yuri, motivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27641858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowedTime/pseuds/ShadowedTime
Summary: Hibiki realises that Kurumi could use some motivation for the climactic battle against the White Queen.
Relationships: Kurumi Tokisaki/Hibiki Higoromo
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	United We Stand

It was time.

It almost felt like a story. A fantasy wherein the hero began the final showdown against the main villain after an arduous journey filled with loss, hope, and love. It didn’t feel real, even to a creature that laughed in the face of what most of humanity would consider to be normal.

Kurumi supposed it was a correct analogy to make, though. Her, the heroine, facing off against the antagonist that seemed far more dangerous than any other enemy this world had thrown at her.

To say that she was uncertain and nervous was an understatement.

Interestingly enough, the source of her nerves was not the possibility of death, although that still weighed on her mind. No, the source of the tremor in her hands and her tightly grit teeth came from _who_ she was facing, not _what_.

_Sawa_.

Kurumi’s palms were sweaty, both gripping tightly to her two faithful firearms. She was sure she had a thousand mile stare, so intense that she was probably about to burn a hole through the room in which she resided. She could hear the bustle outside, Retsumi’s army gathering and listening to her proud orders. The squabbles between Haraka’s disciples, and the masses of other Quasi-Spirits united to a cause that she, likely unfittingly, led.

The White Queen was awful.

A monster without equal, without respect, without care and without limit. She had a frightening level of power, strength, and intelligence that put Kurumi on edge. But even that was not enough to shake the battle hardened heart of Kurumi Tokisaki.

Sawa, as she remembered her, was kind. Sweet, gentle, softly spoken and the most perfect person Kurumi could ask for.

Where did it all go so wrong?

“Are you ready?”

The clear voice cut through the endless hum of her mind, and Kurumi forced her eyes up as the door to the room opened.

In through it stepped an angel.

The girl in silver and white stood strong before Kurumi, in such a way that the Spirit had never seen before. There was a smile on her face, not broad and beaming like usual, but closed. It was a gentle smile, one that made Kurumi feel warm inside.

Dressed in an Astral Dress Kurumi didn’t associate with hers, and wielding an elaborate longsword so unlike King Killing’s claws, it was almost hard to recognise Hibiki Higoromo. There was a stark similarity between her and the Queen that couldn’t be ignored, but Kurumi forced herself to focus on those wide, matching blue eyes.

“Not really.”

Hibiki chuckled softly, and Kurumi bristled slightly. _I wasn’t joking when I said that!_

Hibiki lay her sword down beside the door, and she made her way to Kurumi with a level of confidence Kurumi hadn’t yet seen in her. Her back was straight, her smile unfaltering, and she looked almost… comfortable, despite the impossibilities they were about to face. ****

“I thought you might say that.” The Quasi-Spirit pulled a chair up to sit across from Kurumi, affixing her with those eyes. “So I thought I’d come to talk to you beforehand.”

Kurumi snorted.

“Ever intuitive, I see.”

“You can always rely on your Hibiki,” she countered with practised ease, reaching out to clasp a hand over Kurumi’s, even as it tightly gripped her musket. She took a breath, and Kurumi let the warmth of Hibiki’s hand seep into her own, and her grip loosened until she set the musket down. The firearm thudded against the ground, and Hibiki gave it a pointed look. Kurumi didn’t take her eyes from the floor, however, and Hibiki noticed.

“Scared?”

Kurumi pursed her lips. No use lying. “Yes.”

“I am too,” Hibiki replied gently, interlacing their fingers together. Kurumi squeezed, and Hibiki didn’t pull away. “It’s no small feat. I think we’re all scared.”

“You don’t seem it,” Kurumi murmured.

“I have faith. In us. In you.”

Kurumi exhaled sharply at that.

“I know you do… But I don’t really trust myself to beat her, and to deal with the… trauma.”

“I think we all have demons to face in this fight,” Hibiki whispered, reaching out to touch Kurumi’s chin. The Spirit flinched at her touch, quickly looking up at her face. She shied away slightly, but Hibiki’s smile did not falter. “All of us have something invested in this. Take a look at Retsumi.”

“I know that,” Kurumi sighed, “but it’s daunting. This isn’t an enemy I’m able to mindlessly mow down. She’s too strong, and it’s too personal.”

She felt her back hunch, and her other hand kept a tight grip on her flintlock pistol.

“Don’t talk in absolutes.”

“What do you mean?"

“Absolutes. She isn’t _too_ powerful or _too_ personal. She is what she is. And Kurumi Tokisaki is going to pave her own path in this battle without hesitation.”

Kurumi kept her lips pursed, gazing at Hibiki through her eyelashes, head downcast.

“That’s harder than you make it seem.”

“Isn’t that life?” Hibiki asked, before releasing Kurumi’s hand. She stood up, still brimming with that self-assuredness and confidence that could truly be mistaken as naiveté by someone who didn’t know Hibiki as much as she did. At her silent cue, Kurumi stood as well, and she barely heard the clatter as her pistol fell.

“I guess you’re right.”

Hibiki’s impish chuckle was melodious and calming to a degree Kurumi had come to expect, and she could feel her racing heartbeat slow nearly instantly. The Quasi-Spirit leaned in at that, and Kurumi felt as her arm snaked behind her neck. Delicate fingers brushed the nape of Kurumi’s neck, making her shiver, but it paled in the face of the way Hibiki suddenly drew them in close.

This proximity was new. So, so close, yet refreshing. But she couldn’t deny that there was a _heat_ in the air, preventing her from daring to breathe as she met Hibiki’s eyes. Her gaze was strong, lashes framing gorgeous, pale blue eyes. Kurumi fought to hold that gaze, and as she wet her lips, became acutely aware of how close their lips were.

She didn’t dare move.

“We can get through this together,” Hibiki whispered, her gaze unwavering, “I’m sure there will be casualties, but it’s important that we fight our hardest.”

Hibiki’s gaze dropped down, now looking at Kurumi’s lips.

“Do you know what we have, that she doesn’t?”

“What?” Kurumi whispered breathlessly.

Hibiki’s fingers gently rubbed over the nape of her neck, and Kurumi couldn’t help but melt into the affection as she watched Hibiki gather her words.

“Unity,” Hibiki began, just as quietly as Kurumi had, as if trying not to disturb the peace. “She lacks cohesion and trust. She has an army, but they lack emotion and humanity. While that’s good in some aspects, it means that she falls short in most others.”

Kurumi felt Hibiki press lightly against her.

“She is an army without order, despite what she portrays. Us, you and I, are one unit. Tight knit and bonded over a long time. That can’t be shaken easily.”

“I… see,” Kurumi rasped out, hanging off of every one of Hibiki’s words.

“We can put aside differences and combine the best of ourselves into an indomitable force,” Hibiki murmured, shutting her eyes, and resting her forehead against Kurumi’s. Kurumi could feel their lips graze, and she dared to let her hands come to light rest on Hibiki’s hips. “That is our strength. We should focus on it.”

“I agree,” Kurumi managed out, feeling the softness of Hibiki’s lips against her own. Everything she had said was true, but it had become increasingly hard to focus on what was happening outside, and what was about to happen, when she was this close to Hibiki Higoromo. Able to feel her heat, touch her body, drown in her intimacy. “Thank you, Hibiki.”

Hibiki smiled against her lips.  
  
“Let’s continue this after the battle.”

Kurumi felt her heart skip a beat, as Hibiki drew in a shaky breath and raised her head. Kurumi kept her hands on her hips, and while Hibiki didn’t pull away, she met her eyes. Kurumi could see the faintest trace of moisture in them, but they were still as bright as always.

She chose not to mention it.

“Yes. Let’s. Good luck out there, Hibiki. Will you be by my side?”

Hibiki dipped her head.

“Always, Kurumi.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

And then she was gone, a streak of white against the darkness of the room as she slipped out the door, leaving the feel of her curves in Kurumi’s palms.

Truly, she was a guiding light, and one that Kurumi would have been long lost without.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this yesterday, the day before the release of DAB7, and thought it was fitting considering to post today. I hope you all enjoyed.


End file.
